Annunciator



H. A, FRANZ.

ANNUNCIATOR- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 19:9.

Patented 0013. 11, 1921.

3 SHETSSNEET 2.

Lia :5

' H. A'. FRANZ.

ANNUNCIA TOR. APPLICATION-HLED NOV- I, 1919- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1,393,275, Patented out 11,1921.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

HECTOR ALBERT FRANZ, or'noon nrvna, OREGON.

ANNUNGIATOR.

ators, of which the following is a specifica tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. a a

This invention relates to certain improvements in annunciators, and'has relation more particularly to a device of this general character of a selective alarm type and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general charac.

ter embodying a plurality of stationscapa; ible' of operation one independent of the other, together with means whereby said stations may be caused to work in unison.

Another object of the invention is .to provide a novel and improved device of. this general character comprising a plurality of stations each constituting a clock mechanism together with a master clock for operat-ing all of the first named clocks, together with means at each of the stations for setting the same independent of the remainder of the stations tocause a signal or alarm to operate .at a predetermined period oftime.

It'is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character including a plurality of stations which'may be separately adjusted to operate a signal or alarm at a predetermined period of time, together with means at a main station for causing a portion of said first named stations to operate in un1-' son to afford both a visual signal and an;

audible signal. 7

Furthermore it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character including a plurality of stations each comprising electrically operated clocks under control of a master clock, and wherein a movable contact coacts with a hand of each of the first named clocks to afford means whereby an electrical circuit may be closed at a predetermined period of time to operate a signal.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved annunciators whereby certain important advantages are attainedand the device rendered. simpler, less expensive and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11,- 1921.

Application filed November 1, 1919. Serial No. 335,063.

otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

. In order that my invention may be the bet: ter understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating an embodiment of my invention;

a Fig. 2 is a schematic view of my invention as herein embodied, and in connection with a single station;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section, and of a somewhat diagrammatic character, illustrating one of the stations as herein embodied;

F ig; a is a vertical sectional view taken through the device, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and, l 11 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the mounting for the setting hand, said hand being in a released position.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that an annunciator constructed in accordance with my inven tion is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it -may be assembled and operated and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and-modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wishto be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

My invention as herein disclosed is particularly adapted for use in connection with hotels, schools or the like, and wherein the various rooms are each provided with a station provided with means whereby said station may be adjusted by the occupant of the room tooperate an alarm independent of the remainder of the rooms, and wherein, when the occasions require, as in the case of a fire or for any other purpose, the signals at a plurality ofstationsmay. be caused to operate, and under which conditions both an audible signaland a visual signal is caused to operate. at each station. 1

As herein embodied a station-S is located within each room of a building or at other locations, andeach of said stations S constitutes an electrically operated clock under control of a master clock M.

Each of the stations or clocks S comprises an insulating bushing 1, surrounded by the tubular shaft 2 for the hour hand 3. R0- tatable around said shaft 2 is a sleeve 4%, to which is affixed the minute hand 5. The shaft 2 and sleeve 4 are operatively engaged through the medium of the gearing 6 in a mannerwhereby the'hands 3 and 5 will have requisite movement one with respect to the other around the dial 7. The gearing 6 includes a ratchet wheel 8, with which en' ages a pawl 9 carried by the armature 1O intermittently operated by the electromagnet 11.

The master clock M in the present embodiment of my invention operates to send out an electrical impulse every minute so that the pawl 9 at each of such periods of time imparts requisite movement through the gearing to the minute hand 5. For this reason the ratchet wheel 8 is provided with sixty teeth.

Each magnet 11 is electrically connected through the medium of the conductors a and b with a source of electrical enery E, preferably a seven volt battery. Interposed in the conductor a is a'circuit closer, the movable contact 12 of which making contact once each minute under the influence of the master clock with the stationary contact 14:.

Loosely directed through the bushing 1 is a shaft 15 which extends in advance of the dial7, and said extended portion of the shaft 15 is provided with a setting hand 16. The setting hand 16 in its normal or neutral position is upwardly vertically disposed or positioned at the hour indication 12, and is maintained in such position, or automatically returned thereto through the instrumentality of the coil spring 17, surrounding the inner end portion of the shaft with one end portion of the springsecured to the shaft and the opposite end portion of the spring secured to the corrugated collar or setting 18, positioned inwardly of the bushing 1. The shaft 15 is also provided with a corrugated collar 19, which coacts with the collar or setting 18, whereby the setting hand 16 may be held in desired position.

The inner end portion of the shaft 15 engages a button 20 of insulating material, which is carried by the l0wer,,end portion of a vertically disposed rock lever 21. Lever 21 is supported intermediate its length at 22, for swinging movement, and the upper end portion has secured thereto a button 23 seated within an opening 24, produced in the upper portion of the casing 25, comprised in the station S. Upon pushing the button 23 inwardly the lever 21 forces the shaft 15 outwardly to free said shaft, and

whereupon the same is rotated through the instrumentality of the spring 17 to return the setting hand 16 to its normal or neutral position and for a purpose which will hereinafter be more particularly referred to.

The outer end portion of the end shaft 15 has suitably affixed thereto a knob 26, whereby means is provided to manually set the hand 16 in accordance with the require ments of practice.

The dial 7 is of a translucent material such as ground or sand glass, and characters 27 are preferably painted upon the front face of the dial, while the inner face of the dial is stained red. Supported in wardly of the dial 7 is a gong or bell 28, having a concave face or surface disposed in a direction toward the dial 7, and which concave face operates as a reflector for the lamp 28 positioned substantially at the axial center of said bell or gong 28, so-that the rays emitted from said lamp will be concentrated upon the dial 7.

The hour hand3 is of conductive material, as is also shaft 2 to which'it is secured, and said shaft 4 is electrically connected through the conductor 0 with the conductor 5 hereinbefore referred to.

The movable contact 12 hereinbefore referred to intermittently also engages a stationary contact 29 and thus sends out over the conductor cl electrical impulses from the source E. The conductor (Z leads to a contact 30 comprised in a fire key K, and with which engages a movable contact 31 comprised in said key K. Contacts 30' and 31 are normally in engagement, and leading from the contact 31 is a conductor 0 in electrical connection with the setting hand 16 through the shaft 15. Interposed in parallel in the conductor 0 is the hell or gong 28 and the lamp 28 The hour hand 3 and the setting hand 16 are provided on their opposed faces with the contact members 32, preferably of platinum, and when said contacts 32 are in engagement, the circuit through the conductor 0 is completed through the conductor 0 leading from the setting hand 16, or more particularly the shaft 15 to the conductor 5 In view of this completed circuit, the bell 28 will be caused to intermittently operate by the movable contact 12 during the period the contacts 32 are in engagement one with the other. Should it be desired to discontinue the operating of the bell during this period, it is only necessary to push the button 23 inwardly whereupon the setting hand 16 will return to its normal or neutral position. It is to be stated at this time that when the setting hand 16 is in its normal. or neutral position, the contact 32 carried thereby is removed from the path of travel of the contact 32 carried by the hour hand.

The bell 28 in the present embodiment of 31 is disengaged from the stationary contact'30, and the said movable contact is brought into electric engagement with the second stationary contact 34. Leading from the contact 34 is a conductor?) in connection with anelectrical source E, preferably a battery of twenty volts. Also leading from the source E isa conductor 9, in electrical connection with the conductor 6 at a point between the setting hand and the interposed lamp and bell, so that when the button 33 is depressed a current of sufficient voltage will pass through the conductor e to illuminate the lamp 28, and to operate the bell 28. By this means indication can be given of a fire, or, for some other particular event.

With the button 38 depressed, the bell 28 will continuously ring and the colored rays passing through the dial 7 will direct attention to the fact that the sounding of the bell or alarm is for a particular purpose other than to indicate a specific period of time.

When the button 33 is depressed it also moves a movable contact 31 into contact with a stationary contact 36, and each of these contacts has leading therefrom a conductor h comprised in a circuit leading to fire headquarters or other locality, so that at the same time the bell 28 andthe lamp 28 are caused to operate by the depression of the button 33, the circuit through the conductor h will also be closed.

lVhile I have hereinbefore particularly described my improved device in connection with a single station, it is to be understood that the various stations will be electrically connected in parallel so that each of said stations may be independently operated under normal conditions, a-nd also operated in unison upon depression of the fire case.

As is particularly. disclosed in Fig. 1, the stations S are disclosed as arranged upon three floors of a building and each floor embodies a separate control under a fire key, so that an alarm may be sounded upon one floor independent of the remainder.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that an annunciator constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the prin ciples and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in cept as hereinafter claimed.

1. A device of the character practice exdescribed comprising a series of open circuits, a second series of open circuits, a plurality of signal stations interposed in sand circuits, means for alternately closing the first mentioned series of circuits at one point and the second mentioned series of circuits, a plurality of signal stations interposed in said circuits, means carried by each station for closing one of the circuits of the first mentioned seriesat another point, and means for simultaneously closing all of said circuits at all points.

2. A device of the character described comprising a central station, two series of open circuits extending from said station, a plurality of clocks interposed in each of said series, each clock being provided with signal means, means carried by said central station for alternately closing each series of circuits and simultaneously closing each circuit of the series at one point, means carried by each clock for actuating the same when the circuit of the clock is closed at the central station, means carried by the clock mechanism and interposed in another circuit of the series for closing said circuit through the signal means, and a; circuit closer interposed in the circuits of one of the series of open circuits for simultaneously closing said circuits through all of the signal means independently of the circuit closing means of the clocks.

An electric signal and alarm system comprising a series of open circuits in communication with a central station, secondary clock stations interposed in said circuits, one: of said circuits being adapted to regularly energize the actuating means of the clock stations through the medium of the central station, another 01": said circuits being adapted to energize signal and alarm means carried by the secondary clock stations through the medium of the central station, a circuit closure carried by the central station, said circuit closure being common to allof said circuits for regularly and alternately closing said circuits and means carried by each of the secondary clock stations for closingthe second mentioned circuit through the secondary clock stations, a third circuit in communication with the central station and the secondary clock stations and a circuit closure in the third mentioned circuit for simultaneously energizing the signal and alarm means of all of the clocks independently of the remaining circuits.

4;. An electric signal and alarm system comprising a series of open circuits in comof said circuits being adapted to regularly energize the actuating means of the clocks through the medium of the central station, another. of said circuits being adapted to energize signal and alarm means carried by the secondary clock stations through the medium of the central station, a circuit closure carried by the central station, said circuit closure being common to all of said circuits for regularly and alternately closing said circuits and means carried by each of the secondary clock stations for closing the second mentioned circuit through the secondary clock stations, a third circuit in communication with the central station and the secondary clock stations and a circuit closure in the third mentioned circuit for simultaneously energizing the signal and alarm means of all of the clocks independently of the remaining circuits, through the cooperation of the circuit closure of the central station.,

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. 1

HECTOR ALBERT FRANZ. 

